The Prince and the Pauper
by Aurelle
Summary: Being a prince isn’t as sweet as one might think. With a deadline of two years to get married to a suitable wife, Sasori is anything but delighted. But when he ends up falling for Sakura, who is a maid, things begin to become awfully complicated. /Hiatus/
1. Obligations and Indignations

Summary: Being a prince isn't as sweet as one might think. With a deadline to get married to a suitable princess within two years, Sasori is hardly delighted about his circumstances. However, when he ends up falling for Sakura, who is nothing but a mere maid... Things may certainly wind up more complicated than anyone wished for it be. AU. (SasorixSakura)

Author's Note: I've had this idea with me for a while now; I really hope that it turns out all right. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Unfortunately...

---

The Prince and the Pauper

It was something that could not be done.

It was something that was generally unheard of, and furthermore, it was something that was just not possible, in any sense or matter. My grandmother would never approve of it; that was something that I was completely positive about. As for my parents, I could only imagine with how much intensity that they would roll in their graves.

Perhaps if I were someone of a much lower status, it would be deemed as something more appropriate. Needless to say, that was obviously not the case, nor would it ever be -- unless I renounced my title. However, was I really willing to do such a thing? No. I knew that I would never be able to, regardless of how much that would be beneficial to both me... And her. Since, being what I was wasn't simply something that I could discard and throw away. It certainly wasn't a position that I could accept without some amount of responsibility, either.

Not to mention how inappropriate it would be for me to begin an affair with a girl so low in status. Doing so would not only cause me to gain unwanted publicity from everyone in the castle, but it would also strike a hard blow to our country's reputation as well. It would additionally cause unnecessary disputes throughout the members of our court, and overall, paint a bad shadow over my family name. We could not afford something like that to happen, as my Grandmother Chiyo often enjoyed reminding me. And for once... I actually agreed with her reasoning.

After all, a pairing like the two of us made was simply not meant to be. How could it be, honestly? A prince such as myself falling in love with a girl that was nothing more than a maid...

It was ridiculous. It was insane. It was unbelievable.

...It was the truth.

---

Irritation. That feeling you get, when someone besides you does something stupid, or idiotic. It's not exactly an unpleasant sensation, though it can certainly lead to more violent emotions. A prime example of that had been the display of rage I had just attacked my grandmother with.

Marriage? Who was she kidding? I wasn't planning on getting married to anyone yet, and especially not to any of the ditzes she had tried to pair me up with.

At the thought of all of my possible 'fiancée's' my mouth immediately filled with a bitter taste. Almost none of them could even answer a simple question coherently without giggling in the most absurd way. Being overwhelmingly clingy seemed to be a talent of theirs, and unfortunately... They went on doing it extremely well. Apparently their so-called beauty had eaten away at their brains.

Shuddering inwardly, I began striding quickly past the many corridors and hallways that lined our castle. I needed some time alone to allow myself to think, as well as to calm down. I continued to walk for a while, until I reached my own personal haven -- the library. It had always been the place I had gone to reminisce ever since I had been a child. Swiftly, I entered the room, not bothering to close the door behind me quietly as I came in.

Walking over to a nearby table by one of the many large windows, I sat myself on a plump chair. Leaning my head back, I closed my eyes tightly, hoping dearly for the headache that had surfaced earlier to disappear.

When had everything all begun anyway? It actually hadn't been too long ago, I realized. My grandmother had never bothered to pressure me with anything, and instead had always treated me with warm affection. I had always gotten what I had wanted to receive, and she had always allowed me to do whatever I felt like doing. It had been like that ever since I could remember, until sometime during the late last season.

Then, as if a strand of realization had struck my grandma, she had suddenly started to goad me into getting married, of all things. Scrolls naming armies of different suitable wives began appearing on my desk in the mornings, and lectures on how unstable our country was becoming due to my... Single-ness began to sprout from various passersby's mouths when I walked past them.

At first I had been mildly amused by everyone's antics, and I had deemed it all as something I could eventually brush off. However, my interest in their deeds soon began to wane as the situation continued to persist and worsen. Instead of being pressed to merely read lists of potential brides; I was soon forced to actually meet the princesses. None of the visits had ever turned out pleasantly, and I quickly discovered that most of the girls must've been dropped on the head as infants.

Arguing with my grandmother always turned out to be fruitless, and so I had soon become tired of that. Today had been an exception though, as she had told me something that was much, much, worse than a hundred meetings with silly, giggle-prone women. She had stated to me that if I did not choose a suitable wife in the duration of two years, I was to be married off to one of Lord Hyuga's daughters by default. She had gone on to explain how our marriage would help the growing bond between our two countries, and how happy she was sure I was going to be in a stable wedlock. That had been when I had thrown a vase at the wall.

Sighing, I stopped my thinking. If at all, I was actually growing angrier with myself instead of quelling my raging feelings. Putting my face to my hands slowly, I readied myself to stand. Maybe reading a book would help keep my mind off of everything, at least for a short period of time. Just as I was about to get up, I stiffened as I heard a noise. It was the sound of a page turning... Did that mean that someone was inside the library, other than myself?

Quietly, I got off of my chair and began to walk, peering around the bookshelves cautiously as I did so. Eventually, I arrived at the source where the noise had most likely come from. Seated comfortably at a long mahogany table was a pink-haired young girl, who looked somewhere between the ages of fifteen to seventeen. From the sordid state of her shoddy looking clothes, it was apparent that she was most likely one of our maids.

She seemingly had not noticed me yet, and instead continued to gaze at the book she had placed on the table in front of her with interest. I continued to peer at her for a while, with only a vague sense of attentiveness. It took me a moment to notice that she was looking at her book upside down. With my attention rifted towards the thin volume she was examining, my curiosity ultimately succeeded in defeating my common sense. Stepping forward carefully and quietly, I spoke to the girl softly.

"You're reading the book the wrong way, you know."


	2. Premonition

Author's Note: Wow, um… I can't believe I got so many nice reviews. Thank you so much for taking the time to write them!

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, this story would probably be canon. (Interesting thought.)

---

There are so many different opinions on the definition of fate. Some people insist that everything is linked by threads of destiny, and yet others strongly disagree. From both perspectives however, I believe that there lies some amount of truth. Perhaps 'fate' is driven only by a string of coincidences, and even if it's not...

Isn't the end result the one thing that truly matters, anyway?

---

Sasori's PoV

"You're looking at that book the wrong way, you know."

My statement hung quietly and awkwardly in the air. For a moment, the girl didn't stir, which caused me to briefly wonder if I had spoken too softly. However, she slowly raised her head, and glanced at me with a look written with both bemusement and surprise. Her curiosity soon waned however, as she finally seemed to register who I happened to be.

Then all at once, her casual-seeming expression appeared to abruptly devolve into one of shock. With a slight cough and a stutter, the girl continued to stare at me in an almost quizzical fashion, until at last, she seemed to gather enough of her wits back to speak.

"I'm sorry. I... I didn't know," she began faintly. Casting the book with a brief glimpse, she continued to talk. "I'm really sorry... Your Majesty."

I waved off the formality absentmindedly. Instead, I peered at her with an eyebrow raised. "You didn't know?"

The girl winced. Then, with a slightly strained voice, she answered. "I can't read. And I..." She paused, "I really thought that I was looking at it the right way." Hesitantly, she glanced up towards where I stood. "You're not mad at me, are you? I know I'm not allowed to be here."

"Should I be angry?"

"I guess so," she blinked. "I thought only privileged people could come in. And... I can hardly be considered as that. I'm just a maid," she admitted.

I shrugged. "I assumed as much. But to tell the truth, I don't really care if you're in here or not."

She nodded slowly, before replying in a hesitant tone. "Thank you, I guess."

A few moments passed in silence. I quietly began to contemplate if I should just leave; all I had probably succeeded in doing was bothering her. Not to mention that my headache had returned, and unfortunately, it had worsened as well. Just as I was about to take a step backwards however, the girl spoke.

"Are you okay?" She asked quietly. "You don't look too well."

I stared at her for a few seconds, momentarily surprised at her question. "Not really," I muttered. I opened my mouth again to elaborate, but I quickly decided against it. The thought of having my marital problems spread as gossip around the castle made me feel queasy.

As if realizing she had said something wrong, the girl sheepishly apologized. "I shouldn't have asked," she said, playing with a lock of her pink hair awkwardly. "I just thought that something might of been bothering you. Not that I really have a right to know," she added quickly.

With a slight flinch, she sent me sympathetic look. Closing the book's cover carefully, she stood up. "I guess I should go," she suggested. "I'm probably just annoying you by --"

I cut her off. "Don't bother," I murmured. "I have to leave soon, anyway. My grandmother will be wondering where I went."

The girl appeared surprised. "You left without her knowing?" She asked, apparently amused by the fact. "I know it's not my place to say this, but... I find that kind of funny."

I looked at her questioningly.

She shifted uncomfortably. "I guess I shouldn't have said that." Turning to the book in front of her, she gently ran a finger across the soft ridges that the pages had created. "I just found it interesting... Doing something like that sounds so average."

I decided to humour her. "I'm not supposed to be normal, then?"

"I don't think so," she replied, her hand now absentmindedly playing with the novel's thin spine. "You're supposed to be a prince. That's not... A very normal thing." With an apologetic expression, the girl took away her attention from the book. "I'd ask you not to take offense to anything I'm saying, but... I don't really know how to say that... To royalty, at least."

Blinking, I walked closer to her. "I could say the same to you," I retorted. I was about to say more, when I noticed the title of the book the girl had been holding. Curiously, I focused on its dark-green cover. "That's a coincidence," I remarked with interest.

The girl raised her eyebrows. "What is?"

"That book," I said, pointing at the slim leather-clad volume. "My grandmother used to read it to me when I was small."

"Really? Did you like it?" She asked curiously. Lacing her fingers together, she lightly craned her neck at me. "It must've been a good story, if you did."

"It was all right," I answered, after a moment of thought. "It's nothing I'd care to read now, but it was decent enough."

The girl nodded. "I see."

I gave a murmur of assent in reply. Glancing at a large window to my side, I noted with some surprise at how low the sun had gotten. With a small amount of frustration, I remembered how my grandmother had mentioned something about an important dinner tonight -- something that she hadn't failed to reassure me that I had to attend.

Muttering to myself, I brushing the sleeve of my shirt absentmindedly. "I should go," I told the girl. "It's getting pretty late."

"Oh," she answered. "I guess... I'll leave then, too." Grabbing a firmer hold of her book, she stood up. "I'll just put this away, first," she said, as she slowly made her way over to a nearby bookcase.

I watched her silently as she examined several different shelves. After a few minutes though, she eventually came back looking exasperated. "I can't remember where I got this from," she explained ruefully.

I stifled a snicker. "I'll put it away," I offered, holding out a hand.

Looking hopeful, she gave me a tiny smile. "Really? I'd... Appreciate that." Gingerly, she walked over to where I was. Handing the book over, she garnered me with a thank you.

I took the novel silently. Holding it, I couldn't help but feel a faint tinge of nostalgia. The cover was soft and leathery in my grip; just as I had remembered my copy of the story to have been. However, unlike my book, this one was in a relatively good condition. I had poured hours into reading mine when I had been smaller, and as a result it had become worn. It had been my favourite tale...

As I continued to think, the girl cleared her throat. "I'll be leaving now," she told me. "I... Have to go to the kitchens to help out with dinner."

"Oh. Er, go ahead," I managed to mumble.

"All right," she answered. "It was nice... Talking to you." Dusting off the front of her apron swiftly, she stumbled back carefully towards the entrance. She peered back at me once, before opening the library door and shutting it softly behind her.

Left alone, I slowly walked over to the row of bookcases to my left. I ran my finger against the spines of several novels, before turning away. Pressing the fairytale to my side, I strode away from the shelves.

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt... To read the story again, during my free time.

---

Temari's PoV

The late afternoon sun pierced through the large windows, leaving a glistening trail of light on the floor of my father's study. The room was quiet, and the air felt heavy.

Just like my heart.

To my left, my brother Kankurou, stood impatiently by a wooden footstool. He was tapping his foot, restlessly muttering something inaudible to himself. To my right, a nameless servant was busy wiping a nearby table. As for me... I was spending my time deep in thought; trying to contemplate how things had turned out the way they did.

Back towards the beginning of the year, my family's reputation had skyrocketed. Our treasury had been healthy, and large as well. My father had been promoted to a very high position, and had settled himself firmly in the good graces of the royal family. In all, our accomplishments had certainly been ones to boast of.

...That is, until we lost everything.

I clenched my hands in frustration. In the middle of summer, my father had gotten himself into financial trouble. I wasn't completely sure of the details, though according to the rumours our servants spoke of, it had all been lost due to a petty gamble...

A gamble that had grown to frightening proportions.

With a frown and a tilt of my head, I looked towards my brother. He had moved from his place by the door, and had come closer to where I stood. Yet, his eyes weren't focused on me -- but at one of the windows instead.

Clearing my throat, I tried to grab his attention. "Are you okay?" I asked.

For a brief second, Kankurou continued to hold his gaze at the scenery outside. Then, realizing that I had just addressed him, he turned to face me.

"...I'm fine," he answered slowly. Then with a pause, he sent me a pained glance. "Shouldn't it be you that's worried?"

I flinched. My brother was right; my father hadn't addressed Kankurou to come to his office... But he had asked for me, instead. He hadn't bothered to supply any reasons as to why he wanted my presence however -- and that was what made me feel nervous.

Feeling numb, I cautiously replied. "I guess so. Father wasn't very direct, was he?"

Kankurou shook his head. "Yeah. But, Dad sounded pretty serious. I know that things are tough for us now, but..." He trailed off. "I really hope that he hasn't decided to do anything outrageous."

"I second that," I murmured. "I guess that I can --"

Just then, the study's door opened with a muffled creak; I stopped speaking abruptly. My brother noticeably stiffened, and I felt myself go rigid as well. From behind us, I could hear the timid voice of the servant who had been clearing off the table speak. He sounded as if he was apologizing, though I couldn't make out much else.

"It's probably Dad," Kankurou whispered to me off-handedly. "We should probably... Greet him."

"I just hope he's in a good mood," I muttered dourly. Turning, I faced the doorway. As we had presumed, our father had been the one who had arrived.

Standing wearily by the entry, I felt surprised to see him my dad look so weak. Our difficult financial affairs had taken their toll on him, that much I had strongly known. But yet... I had never expected the side effects of the stress to seem so apparent. Despite how frail he looked however, he still possessed his usual strong aura of aggression.

"Temari," my father acknowledged. "Kankurou. I'm glad that you both came." He glanced at both of us, before continuing. "I'll assume that the two of you have already guessed why you're here."

Kankurou grunted. "I just hope it's not what I think."

I shrugged. "I've had some time to imagine your reasons."

With a firm expression set on his face, my father turned to me. "Temari," he began sternly. "You've heard of the rumours, haven't you?"

"The ones about our debt?" My brother cut in sharply. "Are you joking? It would've been hard not to, considering that everyone on our property is talking about it."

My father's face hardened. "Watch what you say, Kankurou. Continuing on what I was saying before, though... I hope that you've realized what consequences might occur if we aren't able to pay all the money we owe back."

Kankurou stood still. Then with some trouble, he finally spoke. "What exactly are you planning on doing?" He glared. "You must've thought of a way to get us out of this. After all, it's your fault that we're in this mess."

I looked at the two men quickly. Both of their faces seemed tense. Kankurou seemed furious, though our dad didn't look much different.

"I told you not to speak out of place. You have no right to say anything," my father remarked sharply. "Although, if it makes you feel any better, I have figured out a solution." He looked at me and called, "Temari… It involves you."

I blinked, feeling surprised. So had this been the reason I had been called over? To be told how I was going to be used?

Feeling apprehensive, I answered hesitantly. "How so?"

My father closed his eyes, and stood still for a few choice seconds. What he then said left me at a loss for words.

"You are to try and marry Prince Sasori," he carefully told me. "You've heard of him, haven't you?"

I focused my vision at the wall, feeling both numb and a little angry. I didn't bother to reply, but instead restrained myself from shouting loudly. Taking a deep breath, I tried to regain my focus.

What had he just said to me? He expected me to marry whom, exactly?

The thought of me marrying anyone was outrageous. My father couldn't be serious…

Could he be?


	3. Artful Stumble

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews. I can't tell you how much I appreciate them!

Disclaimer: As much as I wish I were lying right now, I don't (and never will) own Naruto.

---

Accidents happen.

They always do, and most plausibly, will always continue to occur.

However, not all mishaps take a turn for the worse. From time to time, they may even open up a pathway to something much better. Though just the same, they may open the door to incidents much more worse.

In a way, I suppose accidents are like a coin toss.

They're improbable, they're unpredictable, and to put it bluntly, they're most simply a gamble.

---

Sasori's PoV

"I can't believe that you actually made that girl cry, yeah."

"It wasn't my fault. I didn't say anything."

"As if. You were the one who told her that she looked like a pig."

"I only implied that."

"But, she understood... Yeah."

"That shouldn't count. I wasn't expecting her to possess a decent intellect."

My best friend, Deidara, snickered from beside me. "Wow, big words."

Ignoring his comment, I turned to face the foyer. People were streaming in the door, chattering loudly as they came through the large entrance. Outside, the cloudy sky was a visible hue of dull grey, and the wind was harshly blowing on the bare branches of the courtyard trees. I shivered slightly as a tendril of cool air blew in my direction.

I had just come back from another bridal meeting. This time, the princess had been from the Tea Country. Just as the other bachlorettes however, she had been much too eager and prone to whine to suit my tastes. Fortunately, the girl had seemingly noticed my apparent distaste early on in our rendezvous, and had cut our appointment short due to her weeping.

Of course, my grandmother had been nothing short of furious, when she had found out. Regardless though, I hadn't felt even a modest bit of remorse towards the outcome. To tell the truth, what I had actually felt had been a mixture of both relief and gratitude.

"It looks like it's gonna rain, eh, Sasori?" Deidara spoke suddenly, snapping me away from my thoughts.

"I guess so," I replied, gazing out the entryway again. The clouds had turned a light shade darker. The change was subtle, but it was clearly apparent that rain was going to fall soon. I looked towards Deidara. "Want to go to my quarters?"

The blonde vigorously nodded. "That would be good, yeah. I don't like the cold too much," he mumbled, rubbing at his arms.

I gave a murmur of assent, and headed off towards the hallways. We walked quietly for a while, though Deidara stopped every once in a while to peer at a few of the pricey sculptures that decorated the place.

"We're never going to get there if you keep stopping like that," I wryly remarked, as my friend took an unusually long moment beside a marble statue of a mermaid.

"I can't help it," he retorted flippantly. "Look at all of this stuff. They're so tacky. You know, Sasori, this kind of thing isn't real art," he shrugged, tapping his hand against the mermaid's pale forehead.

"Real art?" I repeated. "At least that thing will last," I said, pointedly surveying the large effigy. "...Unlike your pieces."

"But that's the whole point," Deidara responded. "Art isn't meant to be everlasting or eternal, like you say it is, yeah. I mean, I respect your opinion and everything, Sasori, but I don't think that you quite get the concept of "true art", you know?"

"Of course. I forgot that you prefer having things explode into tiny pieces." I answered, as I began to walk again.

Deidara hurried forward, and followed me. He huffed, appearing only marginally put out. "Yeah, well... You didn't have to put it so bluntly," he complained.

I shrugged. "I'm sorry for being truthful."

With a loud exhale, my best friend strode forward, until he was in front of me. "But you know," he said enthusiastically. "I've been working on a new piece of art for a while. It's going to make the biggest explosion, for sure, yeah."

"A new piece?" I asked, slightly curious.

"Yeah," Deidara confirmed my question with a nod of his head. "I'm not planning on showing you what it exactly is yet, though."

"That doesn't really bother me," I said.

With a glowering scowl, he replied. "You don't get it, Sasori. It's gonna be amazing, yeah." With a wave of his hand, he motioned towards a nearby painting. "Even if you think art is junk like that, I can assure you, once you see my newest creation, you'll change your mind."

"Spare me the theatrics. I'm pretty convinced that my opinion will remain firm."

"I'm pretty convinced otherwise, though." Deidara shot back. Putting his arms snugly behind his head, he began to walk backwards, facing my direction. "It'll totally leave you in complete and utter awe, yeah. Since the thing's gonna be huge, and --" Suddenly, he stopped talking.

Then all at once, a small squeak of pain and a dull crash resounded, and I watched in frozen trepidation as Deidara fell backwards and onto someone who had probably been walking behind him. Hurrying, I scuffled to where the blonde had fallen.

"Ow, what the hell?" he groaned, rubbing at his head painfully.

From underneath him, a small voice moaned as well. "Ouch..."

"Ouch?" Deidara repeated in a mumble. "I feel the same way --"

With a sense of exasperation, I reached for Deidara's hand. "You're sitting on someone," I snapped crossly. "Hurry and get off, and then feel free to complain."

"Huh? I am...?" For a moment, he sat still a while longer, before reverting back to attention. "Oh!" Grasping my arm heavily, he hoisted himself up and stood, albeit a little clumsily.

"I'd say sorry, if I were you," I noted dryly, as I watched Deidara kneel down nervously on the floor. Moving closer myself, I took a better look at the person that lay on the ground.

A shock of tousled soft pink hair rested limply on the floor, and pale skin blended in nicely with the pale shade of the marble floor. The feature of the person that struck me the most though, was their face. Heart-shaped and pleasant, I couldn't help but recognize it immediately. It belonged to no other than the girl I had spoken with a few days ago, at the library. The one who couldn't read, I recalled.

"Hey, are you all right?" Deidara asked her, concern etched in his voice. "I didn't know you were back there, yeah."

The girl nodded, before shakily sitting up. "Yes, thank you," she replied. "I didn't see you, either. ...Sorry."

My friend shrugged the apology off, and offered her his hand. "I'll help you up. Here."

Reaching for it, she clasped his palm awkwardly, and attempted to stand. However, she quickly let out a quiet whimper of pain, before falling back down with a loud thud.

"Are you all right, yeah?" Deidara questioned nervously. "That sounded like a pretty bad landing."

"I doubt she is," I remarked suddenly from my place behind them. "Otherwise, I don't think she would've fallen in the first place."

Appearing confused, the girl peered towards my direction. Then, just as she had during our first encounter at the library, she glanced down awkwardly at the floor as she realized who I was.

"We've met before. Why are you acting like that?" I commented.

Deidara stared at me, and then quickly back to the girl. He repeated this gesture several more times, before asking, "You two know each other?"

"In a way," I answered. Despite the blonde's palpable curiosity on the matter, I didn't bother to elaborate. With a tilt of my head, I addressed the girl instead. "Try getting up again," I ordered.

She nodded awkwardly, and ventured skeptically to stand once more. She managed to get up unsteadily on one leg, before her other gave way. With a surprised squeal, she fell down once more.

Deidara winced. "That must've hurt, yeah."

Ignoring him, I surveyed the girl's leg with a composed eye. Her left ankle seemed slightly red, and it was beginning to swell.

"I'm guessing it hurts," I stated, pointing towards the evident injury.

"A bit," she admitted, sounding forlorn. She tried to bring her ankle closer to her, as she tried to get a better glimpse of the damage. Flinching, she put her leg back to its previous position. "On second thought, it might hurt a lot."

Looking a bit guilty, Deidara apologized. "Sorry. It's my fault."

"What are you going to do about that?" I asked.

The girl remained silent for a few seconds, before replying. "I guess I'll just ask the cook for some poultice."

Deidara quickly gave his approval, as relief quickly replaced his prior show of shame. "That sounds good, yeah. Doesn't it, Sasori?" With an edgy smile, he flipped his long ponytail negligibly to the side.

Despite my friend's solid assertion, I shook my head, feeling a little dubious. "I think she should get it checked out."

"Okay… But, by who?" Deidara queried.

"Doctor Tsunade would probably do it, if I asked." I answered.

First looking unsure, then confident, he swiftly agreed. "That would probably be for the better, yeah. Should I go call her?"

I took a second to glance backwards at the slow but steady stream of people that were leisurely filtering into the hallway behind us. They would reach us soon, and her accident would no doubt garner unwanted attention and curious looks. It would be both too crowded and uncomfortable here for the girl and us, I decided.

Turning towards the downcast pink-haired ingénue, I looked back at Deidara.

"Think you can help me take her to my room?" I questioned.

---

Author's note: …Was it all right? I really hope it was.

On another note however, please visit my friend ChenaChan's page! Words can't describe how much I love that girl… And her writing. Honestly though, her stories are definitely ones to look into, if you love Tobi humour. (:

Anyway, thank you so much for reading this. And again, I can't say how much I appreciate it.


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